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Images from the Scrapbook of GEORGE WEIRS KING, M.D. (1845-1929)
INVENTOR, PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
August-September 2008

The Biography of Dr. George W. King,
by Joaquin Miller, published in 1894

George W. King, the leading medical practitioner of Marysville, descended
from one of the pioneer families of Vermont, his ancestors having located
in that State previous to the Revolutionary war. The paternal grandfather
served with Washington in that struggle and participated in the hardships
endured by the patriot soldiers at Valley Forge. The father of our
subject, Cyrus W. King, was also born in Vermont. He married Miss Louisa
E. Duncan, a native of Quebec, Canada, and a daughter of James Duncan, an
early settler of that province and founder of the village of Chrysastum.
He resided there until his death, which occurred at the age of
seventy-four years. Mr. and Mrs. King had ten children, six sons and four
daughters, nine of whom still survive. The father lived to a good old age,
and the mother is still living, aged eighty-seven years.

George W. King, the ninth child in order of birth in the above family, was
born at Malone, New York, October 20, 1852. He attended the public schools
of his native place, afterward took a special course at the Cornell
University and graduated at the medical department of the University of
Michigan, at Ann Arbor, in 1877. He then served as assistant surgeon at
the university one year, next followed the practice of his profession at
Kempton, Illinois, two and a half years, practice in New York City one
year, and then went to Chicago.

While in [Chicago] Mr. King suffered a severe attack of pneumonia. After
his recovery he was offered the position of surgeon at Marysville for the
Montana Company, and believing that the climate of this place would prove
beneficial to his health, he accepted, arriving here in 1883. Mr. King has
since resided in this city, and has filled his position with the company
in a most satisfactory manner, as well as doing a general practice in
Marysville and the surrounding country. He has also invented many
appliances for his use in surgery. One is a valuable device in which to
set fractured limbs, and another is used to place injured men while
raising them out of the mines. He takes special and laudable pride in
surgery, and has performed many difficult and important operations with
utmost success, which he has from time to time reported in interesting
articles to the medical association of the State. He is a member of that
society and has the honor of being its first vice-president. The Doctor
has invested largely in Helena city property, where he has built a
beautiful residence, but gives close attention to his patients in
Marysville.

Dr. King was married July 25, 1881, to Miss Aramella J. Griffen. They have
two daughters, Georgia E. and Mildred L., born in Montana. Our subject is
a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Knight Templars and Shrine, and
also of the A. O. U. W. and the K of P. In political matters he affiliates
with the Republican Party.

An illustrated history of the state of Montana : containing a history
of
the state of Montana from the earliest period of its discovery to the
present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future;
illustrations and full-page portraits of some of its eminent men, and
biographical mention of many of its pioneers and prominent citizens of
to-day: Lewis Publishing, 1894

Dr. George Weirs King

Fish bone removed from side by Dr. King

Dr. King demonstrating x-ray shield

X-ray; bullet in heel

Drumm-Lummon mine, Marysville, Montana

Dr. King and some of the officers and the working staff, Montana Mining
Company Limited

X-ray: penny-whistle in esophagus; removed by Dr. King and patient
from who whistle was removed

Club foot showing result of treatment by Dr. King

Removal of outer table of scull by Dr. King showing necrosis of the bone

Fatty Tumor of the neck removed by Dr. King

Orbital tumor removed by Dr. King

A more recent and unpublished biography, included in the King biographical
file, clarifies and extends our knowledge of Dr. King's life and work:
Dr. George Weirs King, son of Cyrus Weirs King and Louisa Permelia Duncan,
was born October 1845 in Bellmont, Franklin County, New York, and died
June 26, 1929 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. He is buried there in
Rose City Cemetery.

After spending his youth in Bellmont, New York, George W. King entered
Cornell University in Ithaca with sophomore standing in the fall of 1874,
attending for just one year. He transferred into medical school at the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as a junior in September 1875,
graduating in 1877.

At the time of the 1880 federal census, George lived with his brother
David Woodbury King in Mona, Ford County, Illinois, where he worked as a
physician and David as an architect. Their residence was not far from that
of the Eli Griffen family. He married Armilla Jane Griffen, July 25, 1881
in Kempton, Ford County, Illinois (although some records state Cook
County). She was the daughter of Elli Griffen and Deborah Cortright.
Usually called "Millie" by family members, she was born January 10, 1860
in Whiteside County, Illinois and died February 7, 1941.
George W. King was employed as a doctor and surgeon in Helena, Montana and
later in Portland, Oregon.

In 1892, he filed a patent with the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C.
for a "Fracture Apparatus." In his application, he wrote, "In the
treatment of fractures there is always difficulty, even with the aid of an
assistant, in maintaining the limb in proper position and much extra pain
is occasioned by frequent moving of the injured limb during the
application of splints or bandages. My invention is designed to obviate
this difficulty by providing a portable apparatus by means of which the
operator, without the aid of an assistant, can apply and maintain proper
extension and counter-extension of, and support for, the broken limb, and,
at the same time have free access to every part of it for the convenient
application of the splints or bandages."

(Note: there is a discrepancy regarding King's date of birth)

This biography was compiled by:

Deborah Lynn Guber, Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
The University of Vermont
Old Mill, Room 532
94 University Place
Burlington, VT 05405-0114